In chatting with the Nosler team recently, I was reminded yet again why this old-school family-owned business continues to survive — and thrive. It’s a combination of customer service, hands-on workmanship, consistent and predictable quality (the ammo you buy today will shoot as well as the ammo you bought last year or next week), and the fact it has Bob Nosler’s name on it. I know Bob and he takes their responsibility very seriously, continuing to hire the best people they can find, and to demand, simply put, the highest level of craftsmanship possible on their guns and ammo.

I was intrigued by their new line of Match Grade handgun ammo, and they sent samples in 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP. This is not defensive ammo (although it would do if you needed it to!), but fully copper-jacketed, pure lead-cored “match” and hunting ammo for serious handgunners. The copper jackets wrap over the hollowpoint, helping to assure reliable feeding in semi-autos, and the pure lead core helps to assure expansion in game. But the heart of it is Nosler’s ability to be very consistent in the creation of their ammo. Bullet lots are not mixed, and each loaded round is visually-inspected. Tune your competition gun to their new 185-gr. JHP .45 ACP and from then on, you can rely on the fact every box you buy for competition will deliver exactly the same performance — every time you pull the trigger.

I chronographed some of the .45 from a 5″ Les Baer 1911. Nosler says 980 fps on the box, but doesn’t list barrel length. The six shots read 987, 992, 981, 993, 992 and 983 fps. If you have much experience chronographing ammo, you’ll know loads in one box will often vary by as much as 50 fps, so this kind of consistency is excellent. Consistent velocity means consistent accuracy and reliability, so it looks like Nosler is delivering what it promises. Well done, Bob. For more info: (800) 285-3701, www.americanhandgunner.com/nosler
By Roy Huntington

Read More Gunny Sack

Download A PDF Of The American Handgunner Nov/Dec 2013 Issue Now!